We held our annual Partner Conference in early May at the Brackenhurst Centre in Limuru, Kenya. We were excited to welcome over 50 delegates to the event, including staff from our 14 local partners, as well as attendees from other organisations carrying out similar or related work. The gathering was designed to encourage collective learning, sharing of expertise and collaboration, with the ultimate aim of running more effective programmes.
Over the course of three days we ran a variety of sessions, including presentations and activities on subjects including effective Social and Behaviour Change Communication, Gender Transformative Programming, Climate Resilience and Health Systems Strengthening, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Safeguarding.
Speakers included our new trustee, Dr Kate Campbell, a Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) consultant, who provided expert training on different contraceptive methods, as well as good practice for service delivery and information provision. Laura Brooks from Tackle ran a brilliant session on how to use sport as a tool for interactive information provision on various SRH topics. Whilst Critical Conversations ran an energetic, interactive session, including dancing, drama and singing to demonstrate how using drama and music can prompt important conversations around the interconnections between environmental and human health.
Delegates interacting during Critical Conversations presentation
We run the conference to facilitate learning across our partner network and to build the expertise across all partners. As well as the formal sessions, partners and CHASE Africa staff had the chance to interact informally with one another across the conference. Over the course of the three days, it was fantastic to see so lots of organic interaction between partners, sharing skills and building bonds. Integrated working structures can be so vital in ensuring that all of our programmes are making the best impact possible and this type of networking only strengthens this.
Encouragingly, we have had consistently wonderful feedback across our partner network, many taking away different elements. We will look forward to the 2026 conference with confidence and positivity!
“It was amazing to learn what other organizations are doing—their approaches, successes, and the challenges they’re facing—not just in the health space, but across various conservation efforts as well. These shared experiences highlighted how interconnected our work is and reinforced the importance of collaboration in driving long-term for meaningful change.”
Paxton Maina, Mount Kenya Trust
Partners chatting together during a break at the conference
“One of the standout elements of the conference was the thoughtful selection of topics and facilitators—each session felt timely, relevant, and deeply engaging. My key learning was the importance of adopting an integrated approach to programming. The discussions highlighted that siloed interventions often fall short in addressing the interconnected challenges communities face, and that integration leads to more sustainable and holistic outcomes.
I also appreciated the practical nature of the experience-sharing sessions and partner presentations. Hearing real-life examples grounded in fieldwork made the learning more relatable and actionable. I strongly encourage this approach for future conferences.”
Ruth Nderitu, Dandelion Africa
